Fifty-2

RECIPES: December 2, 2011
**See the following post for the shopping list for this week’s recipes**

Pork chops with creamy mushroom sauce

Serves: 6
*This recipe calls for a covered clay baking pot. I believe a covered dutch oven will also work.*

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 oz.)**
1/2 cup boiling water
6 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (about 1 lb.)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 TBS chopped fresh or 1 TBS dried rubbed sage
1 garlic clove, minced
6 (4 oz.) boned center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 cup evaporated low-fat milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 TBS all-purpose flour
1 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper


Directions:
1. Immerse top and bottom of a 3-quart clay cooking pot in water for 10 minutes. Empty and drain well.


2. Combine the porcini mushrooms and boiling water; cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain porcini in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop porcini. Combine reserved liquid and half of the chopped porcini. Combine remaining porcini, cremini mushrooms, onion, sage and garlic in the bottom of the prepared clay pot. Arrange pork chops over mushroom mixture. Combine reserved liquid, porcini, milk, broth, flour, cornstarch, salt and black pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Pour milk mixture over pork; cover with top of clay pot.


3. Place clay pot in a cold oven and set to 450°. Bake for 1 hour. Carefully remove clay pot from oven; remove top. Stir the pork mixture. Cover and return to oven and bake an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.


**If dried porcini are unavailable, replace with an extra 1/2 cup of fresh mushrooms.


Adapted recipe from Cooking Light magazine




Steakhouse Chili
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 TBS olive oil
4 slices lean, smoky bacon, finely chopped
2 lbs. ground sirloin beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 TBS chili powder
salt and pepper
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 TBS hot pepper sauce
2 cups beef stock
sour cream, for topping
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for topping (optional)


Directions:
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat renders, about 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain all but 1 TBS of fat.Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder, a little salt and lots of pepper.


2. In a bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and hot sauce. Stir into the chili. Stir in the beef stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook until thickened, 6 to 7 minutes (this is a thinner chili than most, so it will not be thick).


3. Serve the chili in bowls. Top with with the sour cream and parsley. Frito's are another fantastic addition.


Adapted recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine




Fish Fry
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
12 (4 oz.) cod, haddock or firm white fish fillets (we like perch and walleye)
2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 cup McCormick Beer Batter or Tempura Seafood Batter Mix
3/4 cup ice water


Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet or saucepan, filling no more than 1/3 full. Heat to 375°F over medium heat. 


2. Cut the fish into 1" x 4" pieces and season with Old Bay. Stir together the batter mix with ice water until thoroughly combined. Lightly coat the fish in the seafood batter and carefully slide it in the hot oil in batches. Fry for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown, keeping an eye on the temperature.


3. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and let rest on paper towels to drain.


Recipe from The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise






Beef and scallion roll-ups
Serves: 4


Ingredients:
2 bunches scallions, cut into slivers
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 seedless cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
1/3 cup beer
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBS sugar
12 thin slices deli roast beef 
1 TBS vegetable oil
Cooked white rice, for serving
Chopped cilantro for garnish


Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the scallions and red pepper for 30 seconds; drain. In a bowl, whisk together beer, soy sauce and sugar; set aside.


2. Take a slice of roast beef; season with salt. Lay a small cluster of scallion, cucumber and red pepper slivers on the bottom edge of each slice and roll tightly to form a log; secure with a toothpick along the length of the roll. Repeat with remaining beef. using a basting brush, coat the logs with the reserved beer sauce; let stand for 10 minutes.


3.Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. add the beef rolls (reserve the sauce) and cook, turning until the sides are brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the reserved beer sauce to the skillet and simmer until syrupy, about 2 minutes.


4. Remove toothpicks from the beef rolls; discard. Cut the rolls into quarters. Top with sauce. 


5. Top the cooked rice with the cilantro and serve with the roll-ups.


Adapted recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine




Chorizo-leek crepes with sour cream and chives
Serves: 4
*Don't be scared off by the idea of making crepes. They are incredibly easy. However, you can purchase pre-made crepes instead.*


Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
1 TBS olive oil or melted butter, plus 1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cup leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and washed**
2 cups chorizo sausage, cooked and drained, or andouille sausage finely diced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh chives


Directions:
For crepes: 
1. In a blender or food processor, combine flour, milk, water, eggs and 1 TBS olive oil or melted butter, and salt. Puree or blend until smooth. Pour batter into a pitcher or container with a pouring lip. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


2. For each crepe, add 2 TBS batter to a 6"-8" round non-stick pan. Life the pan off the heat and tilt and rotate it so that the batter forms an even, very thin layer. Cook until the top is set and the bottom is golden (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Using your finger tips, flip the crepe and cook 30 seconds until second side is lightly browned. Transfer crepe to layers of waxed paper and repeat with remaining batter. Extra crepes keep well in the fridge for up to a week wrapped in plastic.


For the chorizo filling:
1. Cut the plastic casing off the chorizo sausage and crumble and brown in a non-stick pan. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Wipe out pan. Heat the remaining 1 TBS olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add leeks and saute 5 minutes, until tender. Add chorizo and heated through. Remove from heat.


2. Fill each crepe with chorizo mixture and garnish with sour cream and chives.


**Best way to clean a leek: Chop off the tough dark green pieces. Slice the remaining piece lengthwise and then horizontally in thin pieces. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Separate and gently place the sliced leeks into the water. Gently agitate the water to allow the sand and dirt to settle to the bottom. Remove the leeks and drain on paper towels.


Adapted recipe from Food Network's Robin Miller




Ham and cheese cannelloni
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
4 TBS unsalted butter
4 TBS all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream, or milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 large egg
1 pkg. egg roll wrappers (available in the refrigerated section)
1/3 lb. thinly sliced deli ham*
1 cup grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in the cream or milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set the sauce aside; then stir in the salt.


2. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella and the egg.


3. Spread a thin layer of the sauce (about 1-1/2 cups) in the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange an egg-roll wrapper on a work surface. Spread 3 TBS of the ricotta mixture over the wrapper, cover with a slice of ham, then roll up to form a log, jelly-roll style. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and place the cannelloni, seam side down, in a single layer in the baking dish.


4. Spoon the remaining sauce over the cannelloni, top with the Parmesan or cheese and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.


*In place of sliced deli ham, chop leftover baked ham and add to the cheese mixture.


Recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine.